Our new office

It doesn’t seem like 3 years since we moved into our current office in New Burlington Street, but we have outgrown it already.

We’ll be sorry to leave and say goodbye to our famous glass roof (if you haven’t seen it yet it’s not to late to pop in and have a look – we’ll even give you a coffee too). However it’s getting crowded in here and it’s time to move on.

We’re staying in W1, of course, but moving to the other side of Oxford Street: to Whitfield Street to be precise. Very pleased to discover we will be on the ground floor this time, with over 2,000 sq feet of space, and a nice backyard with a coffee table outside. We just can’t wait for summer to have our first barbecue.

As you can see, we are very excited and looking forward to move in the beginning of April.

The office move is a great opportunity for us to try out our new found Social Media skills, so please stay tuned to the Blog for regular updates on progress as we fit out our our own offices, or you can follow us on Twitter at @GrosvenorW

Example: Thomson Legal and Regulatory Group inSt. Paul,Minnesota

In the 1990s, Thompson Legal and Regulatory Group’s headquarters were typical of most legal tax and information firms: drab grey colours with just a splash of colour in wallpaper and carpeting.  As far as layout was concerned, it was efficient, but that was about it.  Then the company decided to undertake an office refurbishment: designing cubicles that balanced the need for privacy with the need to move into a team environment; adding soft seat areas that invite impromptu meetings and brainstorming sessions; and creating a “Main Street” to draw employees from the various departments together, into one centralised hub.  The company even added a coffee hangout to their traditional cafeteria.  Café.com gave employees a relaxed environment where they could conduct business.  The results were highly satisfactory: employee satisfaction ratings improved and staff turnover fell from 13.9 per cent in 1999 to 7 per cent in 2001, resulting in a better bottom line for the company overall.

Office Design is Part of a Company’s Culture

Most businesses understand that every company has a culture and strive to make that culture a positive one.  However, what many businesses fail to realise is the importance that environment plays in creating that positive work culture.  Walking into a drab office area and working at an uncomfortable and/or impractical workstation makes work life unpleasant, as does the lack of basic employee amenities, such as coffee areas, etc.  Making changes to these areas not only improves employee morale, it affects the bottom line.  Happy employees are employees that are more productive.  They are also more loyal to the company they work for.

Every Business Can Benefit from Design

Before you dismiss the idea of a better-designed office because 1) your company is small and cannot afford to invest in office re-design or 2) your company is industrial and therefore the concept is not “applicable”, consider the impact that even the smallest of changes can make.  For instance, by adding an attractive soft seat area to an otherwise industrial space can improve communication.  Re-designing cubicle or open space areas to be both conducive to work and comfortable for the employee can result in reduced absenteeism.

Reducing Staff Turnover Through Office Design

Through the years, repeated studies by universities, architectural design firms, human resource organisations, and others have shown the positive effects a well-designed office can have on employee productivity, retention, and loyalty.  This, in turn, results in significant business savings over the long term.  So before you dismiss the idea of office re-design, consider the bottom line.  The investment may well be worth it.

Here are some examples of unusual office interiors to give you some inspiration choosing the right design for your workspace

Storage walls

The vivid storage wall brightens up the pastel colours of the interior…

Doesn’t give you any capacity, but visually compliments the geometrically right minimalistic office…

This  imitation of fruit delivery boxes, works well against untouched wall…

A storage wall here works as a sort of an exhibition stand…

Meeting rooms

This very striking construction in the middle of the spacious office, reminds a bit of a conservatory or a laboratory room,  however looks definitely impressive and unforgettable…

Wood and glass combo looks sleek and cosy at the same time…

This black cube gives a feel that it was taken out of some fancy Japanese restaurant and thrown in the middle of that contemporary, minimalistic office. It completely doesn’t belong here, which I believe was the designers idea. Very brave and striking.

Tables

Nice mixture of sleek and earthy…

Ideal for someone like me who needs plenty of space and movement…

Lights

This ceiling reminds of a starwars castle, or some underground secret laboratory… Like the light tubes and the labyrinthine , hypnotising and dangerous…

Who could ever think that showing cables could look that beautiful….

Messy light tubes creating the angles and giving the white space crystal look…

Tubes again

Wall art

Very stylish and easy…

For the office with an attitude…

Earthy

Isn’t it tremendous to come to work and feel like you are at a skiing resort…

…or have your little lawn!

Plants do more than just look pretty, if the word “JUST” is reasonable here at all, as the office above looks like an exotic paradise, they help clean air and making us feel less tired!